He grunts with frustration and kicks a trash can. “The fucking protein! It’s not omega, but it’s … It just won’t fucking hold still!”
Taking a few cautious steps towards him, I reach for his arm. “Olly, do I need to get Auryn?” Normally, I’d handle his meltdowns myself, but she might be a better choice in this instance, especially since she seems to be the source of his frustration. Not to mention, I’ve noticed the effect she has on Olly. He’s never been the most relaxed guy, but when she’s around, he seems a bit more at ease. “Maybe you can take new samples?”
“What’s the point? I can’t fucking isolate it.” His shoulders slump, and I hope that means he’s nearing some semblance of calm. “I can’t isolate it.”
Maybe I can distract him. “Is she pregnant?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even.
“Huh?”
I nod to one of the broken slides. “Is Auryn pregnant? Did–Did last night work?”
Olly blinks. It’s like my words don’t make any sense to him.
“Why would she–” Then his expression changes. He scowls at me. “You weretryingto get her pregnant? Gage, that’s not fair—”
“You think it’s fair tousif she risks her life today?” I cross my arms over my chest. “If she’s pregnant, at least we’ll have the upper hand when it comes to getting her to stay. Jesus Christ, Olly, I’ve got her picking out fucking guns and knives to take with us to the Orions’. Give me something to keep her here.”
Olly frowns and mimics my pose. “No.”
His voice is solid and almostchallenging.I blink in confusion. What the fuck?
“No to her being pregnant, or no to keeping her here?”
“Both.”
Fuck my life. First Auryn’s defying me, now Olly is. I can’t catch a fucking break. “Olly, she could get hurt again if she goes with us.”
Then his answer sinks in, really sinks in, and I think I’m going to lose my shit.
“Wait … You said ‘no’ to both? She’s–she’s not pregnant?”
“No. She’s not.”
She’s not pregnant. “You tested for it?”
Olly’s face turns red. “Of course I fucking tested for it! She’s barely forty-eight hours post heat.” He shifts his stance, his scowl and posture more prickly than before. “You think I want her to go?”
Oh, shit. Out of one meltdown and into another. “Olly–”
Tears suddenly stream out of his eyes, and he clenches his hands into fists at his sides. “She’s so small and fragile, but so fucking strong, it’s insane. And I don’t just mean mentally, Gage. She choked Em before. Hell, she’s thrown me down before, and we both know omegas don’t have strength like that, but her…” His eyebrows screw up, and his fists shake. “Here she can be like that, but there—” His shoulders tense as another sob commences. “I don’t want her to end up like that omega you brought me, Gage. I can’t, I—”
I take one step toward him, worried he will break. He growls in frustration and holds his hand up to stop me. “I just want to keep her safe and comforted, and I can’t do that when Emmett’s in danger. And the one thing,the one thingthat might have kept her here isn’t real. It’s not a fact, not true, so there’s nothing to stop her from running off and endangering herself, and I don’t know how to handle this!”
Shit. Olly’s rambling. Olly doesn’t ramble unless he’s spouting off facts. This is not good.
“Come with us, Olly.” The words come out of nowhere. I expected Olly to come with. He always comes with on this kind of mission, and I’ll especially need him if Emmett’s hurt as badly as Auryn claims. I shouldn’t even have to ask.
“Come with us and protect Auryn.”
Olly stops. Sniffles. Wipes the back of his hand across his nose. “What?”
An idea starts to percolate in my head. I’d assumed Olly would be storming the house with us, but what if … What if he stays back at the car? Would Auryn stay to protecthim, or am I just hoping for too much?
“Olly, I have an idea. We might both get what we want.”
And with that, I start to tell him my new plan.
Chapter 29
